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A fire erupted in the East Village on Saturday, destroying a historic church dating back to 1891 and a shelter housing almost two dozen women.
The buildings on Second Avenue were right across from where a major gas explosion took place in 2015. Saturday's fire, which was unrelated, started in a vacant building next door to the Middle Collegiate Church at 5am and decimated the church and damaged the Hopper Home, a single women's shelter next door to it.
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From my roof:@middlechurch fire, 5:30am #eastvillagenyc pic.twitter.com/4kTqraiiAU
— Duke Todd (@DukeToddIsAlive) December 5, 2020
The church's Gothic-style sanctuary was ruined and Tiffany stained-glass windows were blown out, according to The New York Times. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Reverend Dr. Jacqui Lewis took to Twitter to respond to the horrible fire.
"We are devastated and crushed that our beloved physical sanctuary at Middle Collegiate Church has burned. And yet no fire can stop Revolutionary Love," she said in a Tweet. The church
And to our incredible congregation: Cry. Mourn. Howl. And know: God is weeping with us.
— Middle Church (@middlechurch) December 5, 2020
But like a phoenix, we will rise from these ashes.
Resurrection will always have the final word.
You can donate to the church's rebuilding efforts at middlechurch.org/rising.
Fortunately, there were no deaths and just four minor injuries sustained by firefighters, but 22 women staying at the Hopper House had to evacuate and leave everything behind. The Hopper House is also historic—built in 1837, it is considered the oldest "halfway house" for girls and women caught up in the criminal justice system and impacted by incarceration, according to the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. It's been operated by the Women's Prison Association (WPA) since 1874.
The women were relocated to a nearby family shelter and received an amazing outpouring of donations from New Yorkers of gently used clothing and personal care items.
They've received so much that the WPA has asked people to instead donate online to wpaonline.org/donate for upcoming and unforeseen costs in the coming months.
NYC Councilwoman Carlina Rivera issued a statement thanking the first responders but also offering support for the affected organizations.
"Middle Collegiate Church is one of the great, landmark institutions of our community, having served the New York City for almost 400 years and for over a century providing the East Village with spiritual and physical resources. They've taken care of so many during our City's darkest moments, from 9/11, to Superstorm Sandy, to the 2nd Avenue Explosion.
And the Women’s Prison Association has provided housing, employment, and assistance for justice involved women for generations. The damage this fire has caused goes far beyond the structural effects alone.
But we know that our East Village community is strong and we will be there beside them every step of this recovery, however we can. As we begin this difficult work, I am inspired by the words of Middle Collegiate Church's Rev. Jacqui Lewis — someone who I’ve considered a close friend and adviser for many years — when she said this morning that "no fire can stop Revolutionary Love." I will take that spirit into my heart in the coming days and weeks as we continue our response and recovery."
The Middle Collegiate Church has set up a Facebook page to collect memories made in its sanctuary. You can submit yours here.
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